Of late, I've developed a preference for short trails - ones I can start later in the day and finish in five hours or less, giving me more time to enjoy other things. One such hike is Mt. Bizan in Tokushima, one of Japan’s least-visited prefectures. The mountain serves as the city's landmark, visible as you enter Tokushima City (which shares its name with the prefecture).
view from Mt. Bizan
From my room on the 12th floor of Smile Hotel, I can see Mt. Bizan's summit in full view. Fighting off laziness, I began my morning slothfully - admiring the mountain’s peak from my bed, sipping a cup of coffee, then surrendering back to the bed again. By the time I started walking to the trailhead, it was already past 10 AM.
From Tokushima Station, it's an easy 1 KM walk to the trailhead behind Jokeiin Takiyakushi Temple. Along the way, you'll pass by Kinryosui spring , whose water comes from Mt. Bizan. I pressed the red button to get the water running. There's a sign in Japanese that says you can take some water but you should boil it before drinking.
Taking the Otakiyama route, I entered the trail behind Takiyakushi temple (map here). Along the way is Wadanoya (Link to Google maps here), where I just had to stop for their famous grilled mochi, Taki-no-yakimochi. Made with water from Mt. Bizan and based on a 400-yr old recipe, it's a a must-try when in the area. The staff were incredibly warm, and the sound of the nearby waterfall was so calming. What a great way to start the hike!
Surprisingly, the trail was empty for a Sunday. The sounds of nature were easy to hear - rustling leaves, snapping branches and the chirping of birds and insects. I stopped many times to take photos and in one of those stops, my legs got entangled with a snake, a slim one, about 24 inches long! Fortunately, it seemed just as eager to avoid me!
The trail eventually became so steep that I had to place one foot in front of the other to keep my balance. I couldn't find a flat spot to rest so I just kept going, stopping only to catch my breath. Fortunately, it was a short route.
30 minutes later, I reached the viewing deck. It was a wide, open space with plenty of spots to sit. The cable car station was there too but despite its accessibility, there weren't nearly as many people as on more popular mountains like Mt. Takao in Tokyo. The view of the the sea and Tokushima city was beautiful, though I was struggling with the humidity. Since it was only the first week of October, I came a bit too early for the chilly autumn breeze I love.
After enjoying the view, I looked for the alternate trailhead. Its entrance had a sign in Japanese. Using Google translate, I wasn't surprised when it read, “Beware of Vipers.”.
I still don’t know what kind of snake I encountered, but I’m just thankful I wasn’t bitten! On the way back, I had to take the same trail since the alternate trail was just too slippery. There's an option to take the cable car but I felt embarrassed to ride with other visitors. I had forgotten to bring an extra shirt and was drenched in sweat.
Fortunately, there was no snake encounter on the hike down! By 2:00 PM, I was back at my hotel, with plenty of time to freshen up and do some grocery shopping after.
Travel Tip : East Tokushima offers great info. for hiking Mt. Bizan.